avert
verb
prevent sth
ADV. narrowly A tragedy was narrowly averted when a lorry crashed into a crowded restaurant.
VERB + AVERT attempt to, try to | manage to He managed to avert the closure of the factory.| fail to
PHRASES an attempt/effort to avert sth
turn sth away
ADV. hastily, quickly They hastily averted their faces to hide their giggles.
VERB + AVERT try to
PREP. from averting his eyes from the dead child
